It is not necessary but its for your own good. Basically, NYSC kits, hostel accommodation and meal tickets are usually issued on a first come, first serve basis.

If you have a custom made NYSC Khaki & shoes (Goodluck with that), lots of money to eat out, and you are comfortable sleeping in the field or bushes, by all means go on the 13th day.

2 Ignore the standard NYSC must-haves

Don’t make 18 copies of your documentsSomeone even advised I make 30 copies of each document and 24 passport photographs but I ended up using less than six copies each. I still have photocopies I made in my file cabinet at home and I still have copies left of my NYSC passport photographs.

Also, forget that advice of three pairs of socks, handkerchiefs and shorts. Truth is you’d need way more than that. Halfway through camp, I was sick and tired of washing dirty socks. If you have enough money to buy enough to wear, wash and discard, please do!

3 Eat the Camp food

I heard the rumours before I went. “It is disgusting, you’d end up with food poisoning, its tasteless” etc

If we have to exempt the beans, it was not that bad. The only discouraging thing were the endless queues for meals. Come to think of it, who were the ones queueing if everyone said the food is really horrible?

4 You won’t meet the love of your love

Forgive me if I sound negative. You have probably seen photos of corp members proposing during POP and day dreamed the same might be your fate. Listen, the probability is 0.000068.

Most NYSC romance have a lifespan of 21 days. Very few people who profess love in camp are trustworthy. Some guys in serious relationships go to the camp with the intention of finally ‘tasting’ girls from all tribes in Nigeria. Married women hide their wedding band with the intention of satisfying a fantasy in a place no one knows them.One advice- fall with your head and not your heart.

5 Keeping friends with the ‘who is who’ matters

The soldiers, man o war members, NYSC officials, and police are not exempted from this list.

I had a soldier friend who had my back during parades and gave me the phone number of a colonel in town to call if someone ever troubled me during my service year. I had a man-o-war friend who allowed me skip morning workouts. I made friends with the CMO who allowed me use the clinic bed whenever I needed to have a good sleep while camp activities were going on. I made friends with two hefty corp members appointed to act as security and these guys let me get away with a number of camp rules. I made friends with a particular kind lady in the camp kitchen and she never allowed me queue for food, in addition to that extra piece of meat. I made friends with the Mr NYSC and it gave people the impression I was hot cake.Be like nsg. smiley

6 Active participation may not get you a city posting

“Participate in all your platoon activities if you don’t want to be posted to a village they.” they said.

Myth. Posting is largely dependent on two things. Luck and connection. My camp’s parade commander was posted to a village and the parade commander is inarguably the most notable position in camp. So was the CMO.

What about me that didn’t lift a finger or know anyone? I ended up in the heart of the city despite numerous threats from my platoon officer.

Is the guy who smelt of weed as early as 5:30am? Or the roommate who is coming to camp with her Romance-Machine to use at night? Or the girl who would ask you to proof read a permission-to-leave-camp-to-have-sex letter, address to the camp CSO. Or the guy who would say, “I really want us to be friends because I need to bang you at that uncompleted building”Get ready to meet them all.

9 Take SAED seriously

SAED is a skill acquisition programme where you’d be empowered on a certain skill. Corp members would then part with a stipend to continue this training during their service year.

One of my regrets was not taking SAED seriously after I left camp because if you really are the enterprising type, your NYSC year is the last free year you’d have before retirement at 60 or thereabouts.

Skill acquisition is a must especially if you end up in a remote area.